Justice: To Help an Old School Friend (ITV 12 Nov 1971, with Roger Livesey)

In To Help an Old School Friend Harriet helps Laura Hale whose scientist son has committed suicide. Her son worked at Wingarth Research Station and Laura is convinced that her son was actually murdered by his wife’s lover, Major Bilton who heads up security at the station.

Having met him Harriet is sure there is something off about Bilton but maybe not off enough to murder someone. Then she gets a visit from the sinister Latimer from the Home Office who tells her in no uncertain terms to drop any investigation she may be thinking of starting. She then discovers that the private detective Laura has hired has also been warned off.

Later Harriet is visited by Bilton who makes it plain that Hale was a traitor and he killed himself when it looked like he was going to be found out. The fact that Bilton was having an affair with Hale’s wife was nothing to do with it.

The fabulous Roger Livesey makes an appearance as Harriet’s well connected Uncle George Mallow – he tries to help Harriet and Laura but when he realises just how deep it goes does his best to persuade Laura to drop the investigation.

A strong story with no court room action (other than a brief scene at the start) instead focusing on the machinations of the security services.

classic quote“I’m not concerned with beliefs, I’m a lawyer. I’m concerned with evidence.”

Hazell: Hazell and Hyde (ITV 7 June 1979, with Maev Alexander)

In Hazell and Hyde James is asked to find a young woman, Claudine, who has apparently joined a group of squatters. When Hazell tracks down the group he is told that they had forced her to move on – her drug use was causing big problems. When a body turns up it looks like Hazell has found her, and an identification by her father seems to confirm it. However Choc Minty quickly arrives on the scene and makes it plain the dead girl is not the Claudine he is looking for but a woman who had apparently crossed Claudine in some way.

Claudine actually turns out to be something of a psychopath and having killed once has decided to make her next target our intrepid hero.

Meanwhile Jim has finally found himself somewhere else to live, his old flat having been reclaimed by the fellow he lent him the use of it.

It’s definitely something of a walk on the seedier side of life for Hazell. Maev Alexander, wjho plays the disturbed Claudine, is best known for her role as Christine Russell in the first couple of seasons of Sutherland’s Law.

Hazell: Hazell and the Suffolk Ghost (ITV 31 May 1979, with Meg Davies)

In Hazell and the Suffolk Ghost our intrepid hero pays a visit to the seaside when an accountant, Peter Harlow, calls him in over a cottage he has been left in a will. He has no idea why he has been left the cottage but since he has taken over ownership more than a few strange things have been happening.

Hazell stays at the cottage for a few days and manages to find no small amount of comfort when Harlow’s wife Stephanie turns up (Harlow himself is in New York). Although there is clearly something spooky going on it’s definitely man made and it doesn’t take Hazell too long to work it out.

The episode was a rare outing outside of London for the series, it was filmed in the East Anglian village of Walberswick and surrounds. Although all the interiors were filmed in studio of coure.

Hazell: Hazell Gets The Boot (ITV 10 May 1979, with Billy Murray)

In Hazell Gets The Boot Hazell finds himself more or less coerced into taking on a supposedly simple job for villain Dave Castle. His Bently has been stolen and he wants James to get it back for him. Hazell’s investigation leads him to a scrap yard where the car is being hidden. He gets more than he bargained for when two of the Connell gang ambush him and give him a thorough going over.

Meanwhile Hazell’s love life is also going through a troublesome patch. Patsy Flanagan is spending some time at his flat after having a dust up with her husband. Hazell is keen for the arrangement to be just a night or two of pleasure but Patsy is keen on a more permanent arrangement.